RED
by randomphandom
Summary: When Danny loses everything that matters to him, how will he react. Will he be able to keep going, or will he continue sinking into his own pit of guilt and despair. One-shot.


**Hey! I'm back!**

 **So I was trying something new with this story… I wanted to try writing something more serious this time around. Been fighting writers block on the other stories I've been working on (and man writers block** _ **sucks**_ **!)**

 **So… Disclaimer… I don't own Danny Phantom. (but man do I wish I did… where is Desiree when you need her…)**

 **Anyways, I hope you enjoy!**

* * *

 **RED**

The glow of the green flames was reflected in his wide eyes. Everything had been consumed. Nothing was left. He was

Alone.

He had lost

Everything.

All the things that had made up his life were gone. Consumed. By the

Fire. _Explosion_.

All was lost.

He had failed.

He raised his head up to the heavens and

Screamed.

Until nothing was left. Nothing but his own pain. And loss.

He didn't even realize when other people showed up. Not when they came over to him, picked him up. A mask was placed over his face, but he felt nothing. He _was_ nothing.

There was only

Green.

* * *

In the hospital, he was still unresponsive.

The walls, they were white, but all he could see were the the lights, the colors from that night.

An explosion. Fire. Pain. Loss.

His throat was raw from screaming. He was barely able to speak, but even though he could, he wouldn't say a word.

A familiar white-haired man entered the room, looking at him with pity.

He didn't deserve it.

It was all his fault.

If he hadn't cheated...

If he had only been strong enough.

If he had been just a bit faster.

But no. He hadn't been. He had failed, lost. The only time it truly mattered, he had failed himself. His friends. His family.

The man slowly came over to his side, his usually stiff countenance slouching somewhat.

The boy stared forward, unwavering. Unfeeling. Or so he wished.

But he felt it, he felt it all. And all he wanted was for it to go away. To vanish. Leave him alone. But it wouldn't. It stayed with him, ever- present. Nagging at him. Playing itself over and over in his mind. A broken record forever stuck on repeat.

The man placed a hand on his shoulder, still gaining no response.

"Daniel..."

Until two words word shattered everything.

"...I'm sorry."

With those two words, reality came crashing down on him. What had happened. What he had done.

A single sob escaped his throat holding all the anguish he was feeling. The pain of what had just happened. The guilt of what he had done. He began to bawl, curling in on himself, sore muscles protesting against his actions. He welcomed the pain. He deserved much worse than that.

Arms wrapped around him, hesitantly at first, but then more firmly.

"I know, Daniel. It will all be alright." The man said in a weary voice. It sounded like he had aged a century since Danny had last seen him.

"No. It won't be _alright_!" Danny shouted, suddenly stiffening up. The man let go of him and took an involuntary step back, shocked at his sudden change of mood.

"They're all gone! Every last one of them! Everyone I cared about... Just... Gone..." He slumped forward, energy spent.

"And it's all my fault." He said, barely whispering. He held his face in his hands, fingers weaving through his hair. Danny curled in on himself, slowly rocking back and forth, muttering to himself in his grief.

The man deflated, knowing there was nothing he could tell the child to make him feel any better. He would have to deal with his grief on his own terms. Silence reigned in the room for quite a while.

"I'm adopting you." The words were a shock coming out of the silence. Danny's head snapped up, wide eyes looking straight at the man.

"What?!"

"I've already gotten all of the paperwork filled out. It all just has to be finalized now. But I'm sure that-"

"Why?" The one question snapped Vlad out of his rambling.

"What?" Vlad asked, dumbstruck. He had expected Daniel to fight against him. To be angry. To outright refuse him. But he had never expected _this_ from the boy.

"Why, Vlad? Why do you... Want me?..."

"What do you mean by that, Daniel? Of course I would adopt you! I can't just leave you-" he stopped, cutting himself off before saying alone, knowing it would only remind Daniel of what had just happened.

"But... Everyone... Everyone around me... dies..." He finally stuttered out, head bowed in shame.

Danny's head snapped up at the sound of... Laughter?! What?!

"Wha-?!"

"Daniel... You're a bit too late for that," Vlad said, suppressing his chuckles. "Im already half dead."

"Oh." Danny stated, the corners of his mouth twitching as if they wanted to smile, but had forgotten how to. But even that was an improvement.

They fell back into a comfortable silence, listening to the steady beeping of the heart monitor, slightly slower than it should have been for a normal human.

"Thank you." The whisper cut through the silence like warm butter.

Vlad looked over at the boy, taking in his relaxed posture. He smiled, realizing that he was falling asleep.

"You're welcome, Danny." were the last words Danny heard before the world faded to black.

* * *

"I can't do it anymore!" Danny screamed.

"Everything I care about is gone! I... I can't live with this pain, this guilt for the rest of my life!"

"Daniel..." Vlad trailed off, not knowing how to console the child. He had been getting progressively worse ever since he came to live with Vlad in his mansion. He desperately wanted to help him, but had no idea how to go about it. He had tried almost everything in his power to help him. Everything except...

"Please! Just please, Vlad! Make it go away! Make the pain stop! Just... Take away my emotions. I would do anything! Anything at all!" Danny cried out before collapsing to the ground sobbing.

Anything...

"Daniel... I- I think... I think I may be able to help." Danny's head shot up, the first gleam of hope Vlad had seen in a long time lighting up his eyes. It was faint, but still there. And it was enough to strengthen Vlad's resolve.

If it could help Daniel... Save him from this pain, he would do anything... Anything at all...

"It's very drastic," Vlad cautioned. "And I don't know if it will work."

"I don t care! I'll do anything! Please Vlad! Do it!"

Vlad paused, looking deep into the boy's eyes, seeing nothing but resolution and pain. But still that slight spark of hope.

He sighed deeply before explaining the details of the plan to Danny.

Danny's expression hardened as Vlad continued his explanation. When Vlad finally finished, Danny looked him straight in the eyes, showing nothing but determination.

"Let's do it."

* * *

Danny lay down on the cold metal table, watching as Vlad strapped him down to it. This was it. He would finally be rid of it all. All his pain. Guilt. _Emotions_.

He would finally be _free_.

Vlad finished tightening the final strap around Danny's waist before looking him in the eyes.

Danny could see the concern in Vlad's blue eyes, but knew that his only held determination in turn.

"Danny... Are you truly sure you want to go through with this? There is no going back after this."

Danny looked Vlad straight in the eyes as he gave his final answer.

"Yes."

Vlad paused, searching Danny's face for any traces of doubt. He sighed deeply when he found none.

"Ok, Daniel."

Vlad disappeared from Danny's view, walking behind him. Soon afterward, the table Danny was strapped to began to turn until Danny was in an upright position.

Vlad came back around into Danny's view holding two things. A mask and a pair of gloves. The ghost gauntlets.

He looked at Danny once more, giving him one last chance to change his mind. However, he was met only with silence and a determined stare.

Vlad placed the mask over Danny's face, waiting until his eyes fell shut.

Vlad paused for a moment, looking over the young boy. He was truly too young to have to face something as devastating as what Danny had experienced. But it was all over now.

Vlad placed the ghost gauntlets over his hands, feeling the cool metal slide over his hands.

'This is it.' He thought as he activated the gloves, glowing green claws extending from the fingers.

He reached toward Danny, knowing that it would all be over after this.

* * *

Danny's eyes shot open and he screamed in pain as everything around him went white.

* * *

And then it was all gone. All the pain, all the hurt. It was over.

He glanced down at himself, noting his appearance. It hadn't changed from before.

But he wasn't whole; wasn't complete. Something was missing.

He looked up and met the eyes of the man in front of him.

And he saw what could make him whole.

He threw the man against the wall, causing him to drop the gloves. _The same gloves that had been used on him_ , he vaguely noted.

He placed the gloves on, smirking as he watched the deadly-looking claws emerge from the fingers.

'Now it's your turn' he thought as he charged toward the man, ripping out his ghost half.

He dropped the gloves and flew over, possessing the other ghost. Merging with him. Becoming _whole_ again.

He felt felt complete for only a moment before a torrent of images flooded through his mind. Thoughts. Images. Hate. _Evil_.

He let out a horrible scream, fighting against the onslaught, but all too soon was overcome by it. _Welcomed_ it.

Everything was silent for a moment as he stood there, eyes closed.

And then he opened his _red_ eyes, an evil smile spreading across his lips.

They would pay for everything they had put him through. For everything they had done.

For the things they had made him feel, endure.

They would feel the same pain, the same fear he had felt that night.

 _If his family, his friends couldn't live, then neither could anybody else._

A chuckle escaped his lips, slowly morphing into a laughter as he came to a realization. The _other_ could only watch him in fear as his laughter became more and more insane.

He felt nothing. There _was_ nothing.

Nothing but

 _RED_

 _And now it was_ **his** _turn._

* * *

 **So… I hope you enjoyed the story!**

 **This was my take on what happened in the first timeline in TUE when Danny became Dan Phantom. I just wanted to give my own take of the events that occurred leading up to Danny becoming Dan. Some details may be slightly different than what occurred in the show, but I tried to keep the events that were shown in canon as close as possible.**

 **Please let me know what you thought! And also please let me know if you find any mistakes (no matter how much I read over a story I always seem to miss something…). I am trying to improve my writing, so any constructive criticism is much appreciated.**

 **Thank you, and 'see' you next time!**


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